The Life and Loves of Gringo Greene by David Carter Read Free Book Online Page A

‘Wow!’ whispered Gringo, when they eventually came apart.
       ‘Where did you learn to kiss like that, Gringo?’
       ‘I’ve had lots of practice.’
       ‘I’ll bet you have, you bugger.’
       ‘Do you fancy a coffee?’
       ‘Sure, so long as there’s a big slug of whisky in it.’
       ‘Maybe, if you’re good, now do up your seatbelt.’
       ‘You are awfully bossy.’
       ‘Someone has to take control.’
       She didn’t answer. She was beyond caring.
       Gringo started the car and roared from the car park. A sixth sense kicked in. He had been drinking, not a lot, it was true, but drinking nevertheless, and it was late on a Saturday night, or to be more correct, early on a Sunday morning, and the local patrolmen would be under strict orders to stop and arrest anyone over the drink drive limit, and especially anyone speeding and driving like, well, a drunken driver. He eased back on the accelerator. He may have wanted to get her home as quickly as possible I’d get her home right now, if I were you. But it was more important to arrive safely, and without any interruptions from the boys in blue. He turned on the radio. It was that song again; it was everywhere, the young woman off the TV.
       ‘I love this record,’ said Mel, and she reached down and turned up the volume. ‘You don’t mind?’
       ‘Course not.’
       She turned it up still further and began singing aloud, and after that the news came on.
       ‘I hate the news,’ she said, ‘it’s freakin’ boring,’ and she turned it off.
       Gringo didn’t say a word.
       ‘What sort of house have you got, Gringo?’
       ‘Modern, warm, comfortable.’
       ‘Expensive?’
       ‘Not when I bought it.’
       ‘But it would cost you a lot now?’
       ‘Now I couldn’t afford it.’
       ‘Describe it.’
       ‘Three stories, three bathrooms, modern, minimalist, I hate clutter, it does me fine.’
       ‘Three bathrooms?’
       ‘Yep, one on each floor.’
       ‘And you live by yourself?’
       ‘Most of the time.’
       ‘Don’t you get lonely?’
       ‘Not often, and when I do, I go out and find some company.’
       ‘Like me?’ she giggled.
       ‘Yeah, like you.’
       ‘I’ve always wanted to see your house.’
       ‘Have you?’
       Gringo wondered why that should be, though he didn’t say. He glanced across at her. Her first finger was in her mouth. She was sucking it as a kid might, and she was nodding.
       ‘Well, you will see it, just as soon as we get home.’
     
    The close was quiet and deserted as he pulled into the street. Three sodium lights cast their orange macabre beams across the parked cars and closed windows. An old cat ran from beneath one of the cars and yowled, before taking refuge under next door’s Mercedes. Gringo drove the car onto the drive right in front of the front door and cut the engine.
       ‘Home, sweet home.’
       They exchanged a brief look, Mel rolling her eyebrows, then stepped out of the car and closed the doors, hers a little noisily for his liking, as they stood and stared up at the sleeping red brick house.
       ‘It’s fab,’ she said.
       ‘You like it?’
       ‘I love it.’
       He opened the door, flipped the hall light on and beckoned her inside. Off the hall to the right was the open plan kitchen, dining, and sitting area with a small bathroom behind that. The main sitting room was on the first floor but Gringo used the ground floor as often as not. His favourite white leather sofa was there, and his big new TV fixed to the wall. He couldn’t tell you why, but he much preferred lounging on the ground floor. He closed the blinds and curtains and put on some discreet lighting.
       ‘Can I use the bathroom?’
       ‘Sure, it’s through there. Coffee?’
       ‘Yeah, so long as it’s strong.’
       Gringo fired up the coffee machine and took out a bottle of whisky. It was four